How the tongue swells. Why is a tongue tumor dangerous? Causes of tongue swelling

Causes

If a patient has a swollen tongue, the reasons can be very diverse, ranging from a banal injury to a severe allergic reaction. According to the cause, appropriate treatment is prescribed.

If the tongue swells very quickly and at the same time greatly increases in size, then this may be a symptom of a severe allergic reaction. In this case, you should act immediately, since the sensation of a swollen tongue may precede the development of anaphylactic shock. If no measures are taken, the patient may suffocate. So if you have a swollen tongue, allergies are the first reason you should think about.

With allergies, patients usually complain of the following symptoms:

the tongue hurts and is swollen, as if it does not fit in the mouth;
lips and tongue are swollen, it is difficult to talk and swallow;
the papillae on the tongue became swollen, and the tongue itself became painful and sensitive;
swollen at the base, which makes it difficult to swallow and breathe fully.

Another reason why a patient’s tongue is swollen may be injuries resulting from malocclusion, cuts, or scratches from hard pieces of food. In this case, the patient usually complains that his tongue is swollen on one left or right side, that is, on the side on which he was injured. In this case it is important ensure oral cleanliness and prevent bacteria from entering the wound to prevent the occurrence of an inflammatory process.

If the patient's tongue is swollen on the sides, especially when tooth marks are visible on the side surface, the doctor may suspect thyroid disease. In this case, it is necessary to refer the patient to study the level of thyroid hormones.
If the patient has swelling under the tongue, this may be a consequence of taking sublingual drugs - those that dissolve under the tongue (validol, engistol and a number of other drugs). In this case, the swelling under the tongue usually goes away on its own after you stop taking the medications.
Complaints that the tongue is swollen can also occur if the patient has injured the delicate epithelium with sharp pieces of food - for example, chips. In this case, the sensation will go away on its own after brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth with a tooth elixir or balm.
Some infections can also lead to swelling of the tongue, in particular streptococcal infection, herpes virus, candidiasis, syphilis. In this case, it not only swells, but also hurts, and small rashes, a dense white coating or ulcers appear on the surface of the mucous membrane, depending on the condition and neglect of the disease.
The most dangerous reason for a sore throat and swollen tongue is cancer. It is quite rare, but still should not be discounted. Therefore, if the patient has no visible causes of tongue swelling, allergies are excluded, and his condition still does not improve, there is a reason to refer such a patient for a consultation with an oncologist.

Swollen after puncture

Many patients complain that their tongue is swollen after piercing. In most cases, this swelling is not pathological. The tongue was injured during the puncture process, and slight swelling is completely natural and natural. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the recommendations of the specialist who performed the puncture, keep the oral cavity clean, and rinse your mouth with antibacterial drugs. However, if the swelling does not go away within 4-5 days, and purulent exudate forms at the puncture site, you should immediately consult a doctor, since various complications often arise with tongue piercing.

Normally, healing after a puncture occurs within two weeks. During this period, the tongue may swell, hurt, and the patient may experience a feeling of discomfort, burning, and soreness. In the future, all these unpleasant symptoms will disappear, and after two weeks the wound should heal without a trace, and the swelling should go away.

Swollen lips

As mentioned above, the tongue and lips most often swell at the same time due to allergies. In this case, swelling occurs rapidly, literally in a matter of minutes. Along with a swollen tongue, the patient may experience other unpleasant symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, mild cough, vomiting and abdominal pain. If no measures are taken, then other symptoms may appear a little later - such as an increase in body temperature, a change in its color and sensitivity, and soreness and swelling of the tongue.

Many in this situation are lost and do not know what to do if the tongue is swollen and the patient apparently has an allergic reaction. You should not panic, you need to act quickly and clearly. You need to urgently call an ambulance, and before it arrives, give the patient an antihistamine, open the windows wide and provide access to fresh air, and eliminate contact with the allergen (if known).

Swollen throat

If the tongue and throat are swollen at the same time, this condition is life-threatening for the patient. In the vast majority of cases, this condition occurs during anaphylactic shock (the most severe manifestation of allergies). Only an experienced doctor can remove a patient from a state of anaphylactic shock, therefore, at the first signs of swelling of the tongue and throat, you should immediately call an ambulance, especially if the patient has other dangerous symptoms - such as difficulty swallowing, bluish coloration of the lips and nails, swelling of the eyes and lips, small rashes, low blood pressure, nausea, shortness of breath or choking.

What to do

If a patient has a swollen tongue, treatment primarily depends on what causes the swelling. First of all, the cause should be determined; only an experienced doctor can do this. If the cause is known and it is not life-threatening (for example, biting the tongue or being burned by too hot food), then you can try to relieve the unpleasant symptoms yourself. But if the cause of tongue swelling is an allergic reaction, self-medication is life-threatening.

There are many ways to relieve swelling using traditional methods. However, all of them are suitable only for cases where the cause of swelling is microtrauma of the tongue.

You can rinse your mouth with decoctions of medicinal herbs - chamomile, sage, calendula, eucalyptus. You can use baths and rinses made from chlorhexidine, various herbal balms and rinses. If the patient's tongue is swollen after tooth extraction, rinsing with herbal infusions will help. It should be remembered that in this case you should absolutely not rinse your mouth with hot infusion, it will only increase inflammation.

Health is very easy to lose and cannot be regained, every person knows this. A swollen tongue, the causes of which were not fully understood, can become a very unpleasant and dangerous phenomenon. This phenomenon occurs quite often; there are a large number of prerequisites for its manifestation, which not every person knows about. Knowing the reason for the increase in size of the tongue, you can quickly get rid of swelling or avoid its occurrence.

The causes of tongue swelling are very diverse. This complicates the treatment process, since it is necessary to accurately determine why this phenomenon occurs. The main reasons for the tongue to increase in size:

Injury. In this case, the tumor appears only on one side.
Glossitis.
Infectious diseases. Typically, in this case, a person has a swollen tongue with a white coating.
Allergy.
Metabolism problems.
Anaphylactic shock.
Thyroid gland dysfunction. Then a swollen tongue with teeth marks is visible. Thyroid treatment is a complex process, but it should be started as soon as possible.
Congenital diseases, in particular Down syndrome.
Incorrectly fitted dentures.
Incorrect wearing of dentures.
Malignant tumors.
Recently done piercing.
Anemia.
Malocclusion.

A swollen tongue is a very dangerous phenomenon. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate, as you risk misdiagnosing yourself. Then your efforts will not only not help you recover, but may also harm your health.

Additional symptoms

The reason to visit a doctor may be the manifestation of unpleasant symptoms that accompany a swollen tongue:

Runny nose.
Constant sneezing.
Dermatological rashes.
Pain or itching in the mouth.
The appearance of a white coating.
Darkening of the tongue.
Problems with taste buds.
Pain in the tongue and entire oral cavity.
A sharp jump in body temperature, fever.
Problems with the swallowing reflex.
Difficulty breathing.
Sensation of a foreign object in the mouth.

If such symptoms become apparent, you should immediately consult a doctor, since the consequences of a swollen tongue can be unpredictable.

Possible consequences of tongue swelling

At first glance, it seems that tongue swelling is not a big problem. This symptom is easy to eliminate, but the negative consequences can appear so quickly that it will be impossible to do anything.

A swollen tongue causes:

to suffocation and death;
development of serious infectious diseases;
death due to allergic reactions;
painful shock.

The consequences of edema are serious enough to turn a blind eye to. Some reasons for tongue enlargement need to be discussed separately.

Swelling after puncture

Many people complain of a swollen tongue after getting a piercing. You can view photos of the piercing below. In this case, this phenomenon is not a malfunction of the body.

Piercing traumatizes the tongue, so increasing its size is a completely natural process. After the puncture, it is important to follow all the doctor’s recommendations, rinse on time, keep the mouth clean and ensure that no purulent formations appear.

If the swelling does not disappear within a week or new inflammation appears, then it makes sense to go to the hospital. Normally, the swelling should go away within 5-7 days, and discomfort may appear for about two weeks from the moment of puncture.

Simultaneous swelling of the tongue and lips

If the tumor has spread to the lips, this indicates that an allergy is manifesting itself. As soon as contact with the irritant occurs, the tongue swells. The process can happen in a matter of minutes. In this case, quick and coordinated actions are necessary. It is necessary to call an ambulance, since there is very little time, if appropriate measures are not taken quickly, the patient will begin to choke. While the patient is waiting for the doctor to arrive, contact with the allergen, if known, must be avoided.

If, in addition to swelling of the tongue and throat, then the patient should be taken to the hospital as quickly as possible. This indicates the worst manifestation of an allergic reaction - anaphylactic shock. A particularly dangerous condition is supported by symptoms such as difficulty breathing and swallowing.

Treatment of a swollen tongue

If the causes of tongue swelling do not require calling an ambulance, then treatment will depend on the causes of the swelling. So, to alleviate the patient’s condition, you need to take the following measures:

If the swelling is caused by a mechanical injury, it goes away on its own. You just need to keep your mouth clean and avoid spicy foods.
If the cause of swelling is glossitis, then you should consult a doctor so that he can prescribe the necessary antibiotics.
If the swelling is caused by an infection, then it is not the symptom that should be treated, but the cause of the swelling. After the disease disappears, the consequences will disappear on their own.
If you have problems with the thyroid gland, you should go to the hospital to be registered. The swelling will go away once you start treatment.
If you have genetic diseases, then it is not the cause that needs to be treated, but the symptoms. The doctor will prescribe you appropriate medications to relieve swelling.
When the cause is malignant tumors, it is necessary to visit an oncologist.

There are many folk remedies for removing tumors. Remember that all of them are suitable only if the cause of the swelling is an injury, and a minor one. Then, to eliminate the symptoms, rinse your mouth with a decoction of chamomile, calendula or sage. These remedies are also suitable for treating a swollen tongue after tooth extraction. But under no circumstances rinse your mouth with a hot broth, this will not only increase the pain, but will also cause the injury to become deeper and more dangerous.

First aid

If in your presence a person’s tongue is swollen to such an extent that it is difficult for him to breathe, then you need to take the following steps to provide first aid:

Call an ambulance.
Give the patient antihistamines.
Elevate the patient's head slightly to prevent choking.

After the ambulance arrives, the doctor will take appropriate measures and prescribe treatment. Before this, you need to act quickly, clearly and harmoniously, since the patient can suffocate in a matter of minutes.

Thus, a swollen tongue can indicate dangerous diseases that cannot be ignored. The best solution is to consult a doctor, but if you are sure that this phenomenon is caused by minor reasons, then you can carry out treatment yourself.

A swollen tongue is an abnormal symptom, both on its own and as a sign of other diseases. Do not ignore this symptom under any circumstances; it can signal serious diseases, such as cancer, allergic reactions to food, insect bites, medications, and foods. After reading our article, you will learn what diseases a swollen tongue is a sign of, symptoms of swelling, causes and possible complications, as well as what to do if the tongue is swollen, what measures should be taken to treat a swollen tongue.

What to do if your tongue is swollen - causes, symptoms, recommendations.

The causes of tongue swelling can be divided into mild and dangerous. Relatively easy reasons include:

Allergic reaction to foods, medications without other symptoms, such as swelling of the throat, shortness of breath, dizziness, sudden appearance of a rash on the body, burning and tingling sensation in the throat and abdomen;

Insect bite (also without the above symptoms);

Mechanical and thermal injuries to the mucous membrane of the tongue (biting, injury with sharp objects, burns)

Microbial infection of lesions on the tongue (syphilis, streptococcal infection, intestinal infections, candidiasis, herpetic rash).

More severe causes that require immediate medical attention are:

Anaphylactic shock (its symptoms are described in the first paragraph) due to taking medications, foods, insect bites;

Cancerous tumor of the tongue;

Hormonal disorders (acromegaly, hypothyroidism, congenital malformation of the tongue);

Down syndrome;

Metabolic disease.

Signs of a swollen tongue vary depending on the cause that caused it. Symptoms of a swollen tongue are its enlargement, difficulty swallowing, soreness, swelling of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat (attention, this is life-threatening!), intestinal colic and disorders and fever, rash on the body (the latter symptoms do not necessarily appear).

Severe conditions require contacting an ambulance. In mild cases, treatment of a swollen tongue can be carried out at home. During treatment, avoid irritating foods; it is best to eat boiled, ground light food.

What to do if your tongue is swollen - treatment with folk remedies.

Treatment for a swollen tongue depends on the cause of this phenomenon. Let's look at the most common causes and treatment options.

1. If the cause of swelling of the tongue is an insect bite (bee, wasp), applying ice to the tongue and rinsing the mouth with cool water and soda solution will help. You can take a tablet of suprastin or diazolin (these are antiallergic drugs).

2. When the tongue is swollen from a mechanical or thermal injury, apply ice, and then monitor oral hygiene, disinfect the tongue with methylene blue, use herbal infusions (sage, oak bark, chamomile, calendula flowers) for mouth rinsing.

3. Avoid eating foods that cause allergies and taking medications.

The ease of following advice on what to do if your tongue is swollen gives you the opportunity to cope with the disease without difficulty. But if the signs of a swollen tongue do not disappear for more than two days, consult a doctor for help.

An increase in the size of the tongue is called tongue edema. A normal tongue is pinkish in color, without plaque, the papillae are not enlarged, there is no pain, the surface is uniform. An increase in the volume of the tongue always indicates that a malfunction has occurred in the body. The reason can be from completely harmless to urgent, requiring mandatory medical examination and treatment. The entire tongue may swell, or its individual parts: root, base, sides (left and/or right).

Possible causes of tongue swelling:

glossitis;
injury as a result of piercing;
allergic reaction;
hypothyroidism;
acromegaly;
amyloidosis;
a bite of an insect;
stomatitis;
infectious nature;
mononucleosis;
pathological formations in the mouth;
rupture of blood vessels;
allergy;
malocclusion;
mechanical damage;
tongue swelling due to dehydration;
CNS disorders.

Symptoms

Glossitis is an inflammation of the tongue as a result of a bacterial, viral infection, injury or other origin. Symptomatically manifested by swelling of the tongue, burning, difficulty chewing food, swallowing, speech, pain.

Injury due to piercing

The tongue is a very delicate and sensitive organ, so it is natural for it to swell after any injury, including after piercing. It usually goes away within 3-5 days. If the swelling is accompanied by pain, twitching, increased body temperature, and weakness, then an infection may have occurred. The cause may be either unsterile instruments used during piercing, or an infection in the saliva.

Hypothyroidism

When there is a lack of thyroid hormones in the blood, hypothyroidism develops. In addition to weakness, drowsiness, and fatigue, this disease is characterized by impaired hearing function and voice changes. This occurs due to developing swelling of the tongue and larynx.

Acromegaly

Acromegaly belongs to the group of severe neuroendocrine diseases. The reason for its development is the chronic excessive production of growth hormone during the period of completed physiological growth. In this case, pathological disproportionate growth of bones, cartilage, and internal organs occurs. Increased sweating occurs, joints hurt, and the tongue swells.

Amyloidosis

Amyloidosis is a systemic disease in which amyloid, a protein polysaccharide complex, is formed and deposited in tissues. In addition to swelling of the tongue, this disease also causes problems with the kidneys and intestines.

A bite of an insect

If after an insect bite it becomes difficult to breathe, your face and tongue are swollen, then most likely the cause is an allergic reaction to an insect bite. The bite site becomes swollen, turns red, and begins to itch.

Stomatitis

Inflammation of the oral mucosa (stomatitis) is sometimes also accompanied by swelling of the tongue, multiple or single. In their place, wounds and ulcers may appear afterwards.

Infectious nature

The tongue may swell in some diseases of infectious origin, for example, with sore throat. Sometimes swelling is a side effect of scarlet fever.

Mononucleosis

Infectious mononucleosis is an acute viral disease. It occurs with an increase in body temperature, damage to the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. The pharynx is also affected, and the tongue increases in volume.

The main route of transmission is airborne droplets, less commonly through blood transfusion.

Pathological formations in the mouth

Injuries and inflammatory processes can lead to the formation of oral fibromas, which are sometimes localized on the tongue.

Tongue cancer is the most common tumor among malignant tumors of the oral cavity. The most common provoking factors for its development are:

chronic traumatization of the tongue (incorrectly installed crowns, fragments of teeth);
exposure to tobacco smoke, namely its carcinogenic effect;
alcohol abuse;
leukoplakia, tongue papilloma.

In addition to swelling of the tongue, cancerous tumors are accompanied by pain when eating, numbness of the tongue, and enlarged lymph nodes.

Round or flat formations with clear boundaries and different etiological origins can be benign tumors of the tongue. These include papillomas, hemangiomas, angiomas, fibromas, cysts, adenomas, etc.

Rupture of blood vessels

When the blood vessels of the tongue rupture, a hematoma, or bruise, appears at the tip of the tongue. Reasons may be:

traumatic origin (fall, blow, biting, surgery and others);
dental nature (incorrectly placed filling or its absence, wounding fragments of teeth);
cardiovascular diseases;
hemophilia, hemorrhagic vasculitis (very rare);
eating food that is too hot or too cold;
consumption of hot spices and seasonings, coarse unprocessed food.

Allergy

The tongue can greatly increase in volume if an acute allergic reaction occurs when consuming medications or food to which there is an individual intolerance. In this case, the swelling can quickly spread to the larynx, disrupting respiratory function.

This life-threatening condition requires immediate cessation of exposure to the allergen and emergency medical care.

Bite disorders

Most often, malocclusions are observed in childhood. The presence of teeth marks on the tongue is one of the signs of this problem. Sometimes the tongue may become swollen.

Mechanical damage to the tongue is the most common cause of swelling. It could be a harmless little biting of the tongue. Or there may be severe compression as a result of a fall or blow to the jaw, disrupting blood circulation and rupturing blood vessels. With mechanical damage, disruption of innervation can lead to sensory and motor disorders.

A swollen tongue due to dehydration may indicate insufficient fluid intake in the body. In addition, cracks appear in the corners of the lips, the skin becomes loose, the urine is saturated yellow in color, little of it is excreted, dry mouth and severe thirst appear.

Conditions in which a central nervous system disorder occurs, accompanied by swelling of the tongue:

damage to the central nervous system as a result of traumatic brain injury with severe damage to the brain and/or its membranes;
circulatory disorders of the cerebral vessels (stroke, ischemia, aneurysm);
severe poisoning with alcohol or drugs;
hereditary gene diseases (Down syndrome);
infectious diseases (measles, untreated influenza, tick-borne encephalitis).

Doctors and diagnostics

The main specialists who can help determine the causes of tongue swelling are the dentist and otolaryngologist (ENT). If the cause is not dental or ENT diseases, then you may need to consult a therapist, gastroenterologist, neurologist, cardiologist, oncologist, allergist, or infectious disease specialist.

During the initial examination, the doctor will conduct a visual examination of the oral cavity, check whether the lymph nodes are enlarged, and ask about the factors that precede swelling. It will also be necessary to provide information about existing allergic reactions to foods and medications, chronic diseases (gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, central nervous system and others).

The doctor may prescribe:

general blood analysis;
blood test for hormones;
biochemical;
histological examination of the tongue, biopsy;
bacteriological culture of an oral smear;
Ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract;
as well as MRI, CT, radiography of the jaw.

Treatment

Treatment for swelling of the tongue will directly depend on the reasons that caused it.

Treatment of allergic edema

First of all, you need to eliminate contact with the allergen. Then take antihistamines (Suprastin, Tavegil, Diazolin, Cetrin, etc.), and also take sedatives.

If swelling is accompanied by suffocation, you should immediately call an ambulance. In such cases, the emergency remedy will be intravenous administration of a 10% solution of calcium gluconate in saline solution, a 2.4% solution of aminophylline, as well as suprastin or dexamethasone intramuscularly.

As a rule, such measures are sufficient to relieve acute allergic swelling. If necessary, hospitalization is indicated.

Treatment of infectious edema

When treating the underlying disease, swelling of the tongue will go away on its own when the underlying cause is eliminated. Antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiviral drugs can be used in the treatment of infectious diseases. Locally, you can use rinses with Miramistin, Chlorhexidine, Hexoral solution, herbal anti-inflammatory infusions and decoctions.

Treatment of traumatic edema

For minor injuries, it will be enough to apply something cold to the tongue (a hypothermic bag or a piece of ice), treat the surface of the tongue with antiseptic solutions (an aqueous solution of chlorhexidine, miramistin), and do not eat spicy, salty foods. You can also lubricate the area of inflammation with dental gels - Kalgel, Dentamet, Metrogyl Denta, Cholisal. To reduce swelling, diuretics are sometimes prescribed. A good addition to the main treatment would be to take vitamin complexes.

If a tongue injury causes severe bleeding, first of all you need to stop it, take painkillers and consult a doctor.

Treatment with home remedies

At home, you can use the following methods to treat swelling of the tongue:

rinsing with a solution of furatsilin, chlorhexidine;
rinsing with infusions and decoctions of herbs (sage, oak bark, calendula, chamomile, eucalyptus);
carefully applying a piece of ice to the tongue (be careful not to freeze it);
rinsing your mouth with potato juice, baking soda solution.

A good regenerating effect can be achieved by applying a piece of cotton wool or a cotton swab moistened with warm sea buckthorn oil to the tongue.

If all procedures are followed and performed correctly, the problem will soon be eliminated. Antiseptic rinses and washes do not allow bacteria to penetrate and multiply in the area of inflammation.

Before using any medicines or folk remedies, consultation with a doctor is required.

Possible consequences

If the swelling is not eliminated in time, then negative consequences will not keep you waiting. They may appear as follows:

chronic or acute respiratory dysfunction;
violation of a person’s aesthetic appearance (almost constantly open mouth with tongue hanging out);
psychological discomfort;
speech distortion;
malocclusion;
disruption of the gastrointestinal tract;
copious amounts of saliva;
tooth decay and loss.

Prevention

daily oral hygiene (brush your teeth twice a day, rinse your mouth after meals, use dental floss);
visit the dentist twice a year for preventative purposes, and do not delay visiting him if problems arise;
treat carious teeth and other dental diseases in a timely manner;
taking into account the dentist’s recommendations, choose a suitable toothbrush (soft, medium or hard) and toothpaste;
timely treatment of concomitant diseases, especially chronic ones;
following the principles of proper and healthy nutrition: excluding spicy, salty, fatty foods;
to give up smoking;
avoid situations that can lead to traumatization of the tongue;
Do not eat food that is too cold or too hot.

By following preventive measures and providing timely treatment if problems arise, you can maintain health for many years.

Bibliography

When writing the article, the dentist used the following materials:

Bark K., Burgorf W., Hede N. Diseases of the mucous membrane of the mouth and lips. Clinic. Diagnosis and treatment. Atlas and guide; Medical literature - M, 2011. - 438 p.
Borovsky, E.V.; Danilevsky, N.F. Atlas of diseases of the oral mucosa; M.: Medicine - M, 2009. - 288 p.
Kilafyan O. A. Oral hygiene. Short course; Phoenix - M, 2014. - 224 p.
Rabinovich A. S. Chronic focal infection of the oral cavity; State Publishing House of Medical Literature - M, 2009. - 168 p.
Kozlov, Valentin Ivanovich Anatomy of the oral cavity and teeth [Text]: textbook / V. I. Kozlov, T. A. Tsekhmistrenko. - 3rd ed., erased. - M: Russian Peoples' Friendship University, 2018. - 155 p. ISBN 978-5-209-08288-0
Diseases of the teeth and oral cavity; GEOTAR-Media - M, 2012. - 248 p.
Therapeutic dentistry. Diseases of the oral mucosa. In 3 parts. Part 3; GEOTAR-Media - M, 2013. - 256 p.
Makeeva I. M., Sokhov S. T., Alimova M. Ya. Diseases of the teeth and oral cavity. Textbook; GEOTAR-Media - M, 2014. - 252 p.

Swelling of the tongue is an unpleasant phenomenon that not only causes discomfort, but also may cause suffocation.

It is not by chance that swelling appears. Several factors contribute to this and, before treating edema, you should definitely familiarize yourself with them.

After all, if the tongue is very swollen, breathing may become difficult and the access of oxygen to the body may decrease.

Most common reasons

There is quite many reasons that lead to swelling of the tongue, in particular these may be:

In this article we will consider the most popular type of edema - allergic.

Why does the tongue swell due to allergies?

Due to an allergic reaction, the tongue may increase significantly in size. This is explained by the effect of any allergen on the body.

These particles enter the oral cavity with food or with inhaled air and begin to irritate the surface of the tongue. Then, they penetrate into the deep tissues of the organ, which leads to irritation and provokes swelling.

Swelling due to allergies appears almost immediately. To eliminate non-dangerous symptoms, it is recommended to rinse your mouth thoroughly with boiled water, drink activated charcoal, and use herbal infusions as a mouthwash.

If these methods do not help, then you need to start identifying the causes of the swelling.

Which doctor should I go to to diagnose edema?

These indicators can tell you why your tongue is swollen.

If the patient's condition worsens, you should visit a therapist who will consult the patient and prescribe certain medications.

Diagnosis is carried out in the hospital. First, the doctor examines the patient and then begins to collect anamnesis.

To correctly establish the cause edema, are prescribed:

blood analysis;
Analysis of urine;
blood chemistry.

Read also why lips swell and what to do about it.

What can cause swelling under the tongue?

Swelling under the tongue (in the area shown in the photo on the right) rarely occurs due to allergic reactions.

Most often the reasons are:

dental problem;
angina;
inflammation of the lymph nodes, tonsils;
mechanical damage;
entry of foreign bodies into the glands;
past viral diseases;
stones in the salivary ducts.

Treatment methods

After examining the mouth area, the doctor will prescribe a treatment that is right for you.

Without knowing the exact cause of the disease, self-medication is very dangerous.

In addition, allergic reactions can cause so-called Quincke's edema.

In this situation, the patient needs take medications urgently, relieving swelling and call an ambulance, otherwise the consequences could be disastrous.

How to quickly relieve swelling?

To get rid of this unpleasant phenomenon, you need to take the following medications:

Suprastin, Tavegil. Suitable if swelling is caused by allergies.
Activated carbon. It will help cleanse the body of allergens, infections, and toxic substances.

Rinse the mouth with prepared infusions of medicinal herbs one to three times a day.

Experts advise using potato juice to relieve swelling.

To do this, a small tuber is washed, peeled, and grated. Juice is squeezed out of the pulp, which is used as a mouth rinse.

This is one of the most effective remedies. The result appears within a few minutes.

What can I do to prevent my tongue from swelling in the future?

To avoid such a problem in the future, you need to follow some rules.

How can a child be treated?

To prevent your child from catching a cold, ice should not be sucked or swallowed.

It is quietly placed on the swollen tongue and then removed. Cold leads to a decrease in swelling.

You can, just like adults, rinse your mouth with chamomile decoction, calendula, sage. If there are no medicinal herbs, you can prepare a solution based on baking soda.

The swelling disappears almost immediately. Rinse procedures should be carried out 1-2 times a day.

In particularly severe cases, you must consult a doctor. As an emergency measure, you can use a Tavegil or Suprastin tablet.

Why is a swollen tongue dangerous?

This symptom may indicate serious illness or dangerous reactions such as:

anaphylactic shock;
, aka Quincke;
various infections.

If action is not taken promptly, a swollen tongue can lead to suffocation. Air will not flow in the required quantity, oxygen starvation will occur.

A swollen tongue is often a symptom angioedema. This phenomenon occurs due to the body's reaction to the allergen. With this disease, not only the tongue swells, but also the subcutaneous tissue and mucous membranes.

Swelling requires immediate treatment and specialist help. If this is not done, the patient begins to cough deeply, choke.

Thus, swelling of the tongue is a dangerous phenomenon. This may indicate serious illness. Self-medication can be very dangerous for the body.

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